China Dismisses Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong Amid Anticorruption Drive

China has dismissed Sun Weidong from his position as Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, marking the latest high-profile removal within the Chinese government. The announcement was made by the Ministry of Human Resources, citing a decision by the State Council, though no specific reasons or timeline for the dismissal were provided. Sun’s last known public engagements occurred in mid-March, including meetings with ambassadors from Brunei, Malaysia, and Pakistan. Such dismissals typically signal impending disciplinary investigations under President Xi Jinping’s extensive anticorruption campaign, which targets officials at all levels, described metaphorically as both 'tigers and flies.' Recent data indicates that hundreds of thousands of officials were disciplined last year, including dozens at the provincial or ministerial level. The notice also included the removal of An Lusheng, deputy director of the National Railway Administration. This event underscores the continued intensity of Beijing’s internal purification efforts, which have recently extended to senior military leadership as well. The lack of immediate explanation follows a pattern where official announcements precede formal corruption charges, maintaining tight control over the narrative surrounding high-level political changes.